Have just started reading a book called,' Choice Words' by Peter Johnston. I have got stuck with one of the examples shared in the book. The example is about how the teacher facilitates the child in understanding a word and ends with the statement,' I like the way you figured it out'.
The author added that this comment of the teacher attributes the accomplishment entirely to the student. He goes further and says that this statement offers the student a retrospective narrative about the event in which he/she stars as the successful protagonist.
Hmm... I am not really sure about this. If I tell my child,' I like the way you behaved yourself in front of the guests today'. What does it really imply? Would the child tell himself, 'Oh! I did a great job' or would he go back thinking,' Okay my mom is happy when I do this'.
Maybe when I am talking about a child's work, I can say,' I like the orange flower with the smiley face and the blue river'. Here, I am not talking about the child's work but what personally I like about it. Instead if I say,' I like the way you have drawn within the borders' would it amount to a external praise where the child feels I am doing something right and my mother likes it this way... this way only.
When my objective is that the child takes pride in what he is doing, where is this 'I' coming from. Is it coming from a belief that I as an adult am making you aware?
How would it different if I change the earlier statement to,' It is interesting to see how you figured out this problem'. There is no ' I ' anywhere and the child is able to take in his/her achievement.
Hmmmmmmm..... still thinking :-))
The author added that this comment of the teacher attributes the accomplishment entirely to the student. He goes further and says that this statement offers the student a retrospective narrative about the event in which he/she stars as the successful protagonist.
Hmm... I am not really sure about this. If I tell my child,' I like the way you behaved yourself in front of the guests today'. What does it really imply? Would the child tell himself, 'Oh! I did a great job' or would he go back thinking,' Okay my mom is happy when I do this'.
Maybe when I am talking about a child's work, I can say,' I like the orange flower with the smiley face and the blue river'. Here, I am not talking about the child's work but what personally I like about it. Instead if I say,' I like the way you have drawn within the borders' would it amount to a external praise where the child feels I am doing something right and my mother likes it this way... this way only.
When my objective is that the child takes pride in what he is doing, where is this 'I' coming from. Is it coming from a belief that I as an adult am making you aware?
How would it different if I change the earlier statement to,' It is interesting to see how you figured out this problem'. There is no ' I ' anywhere and the child is able to take in his/her achievement.
Hmmmmmmm..... still thinking :-))
maybe for the author this itself is a big shift - - appreciating child and his effort (rather than the regular rant)
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